Slam Dunk:Starting with perfect copy

The time for the national competition was fast approaching after Ryonan's two consecutive training wins. Taoka Moichi, in a good mood, decided to take the Ryonan team members on a camping trip the day before their departure. The purpose was to allow the players to relax a little before the intense competition ahead.

Ryonan happily followed their coach, enjoying the serenity of nature, which provided a refreshing change from their usual high-stress training routine. The camp was a chance to unwind, but as the sun began to set, their peaceful evening took an unexpected turn.

"Hikoichi, go get some food?" Taoka Moichi called out.

Hikoichi was caught off guard. "What food?" he asked, confused.

"I told you to buy food!" Moichi said, clearly frustrated.

"I thought I prepared it…" Hikoichi replied, pulling out two small bags of snacks. "Where's the money I gave you for the food?" Moichi demanded.

Hikoichi sheepishly pulled out money from his other pocket, realizing his mistake. They had nothing to eat for the night, leaving the team to groan in dismay.

"Three, five, three!" they yelled, blaming Hikoichi for the blunder.

In a last-ditch effort, Sendoh pulled out a fishing rod, saying, "How about I go fishing?" Despite the slow pace of fishing, it was better than nothing. The group sprang into action. Sendoh went fishing, Uozumi—who came from a family of cooks—started a fire and prepared to grill any fish that could be caught, while the rest of the team helped out however they could.

Meanwhile, Taoka Moichi was still scolding Hikoichi. "Sendoh! Hurry up! The fish will be eaten by someone else!" he barked. Sendoh, feeling the pressure of the team's expectations, continued to fish in silence, occasionally exchanging a glance with Kenichi Uesugi, who was equally anxious.

By the time night fell, they had barely eaten enough to satisfy their hunger. At least Hikoichi wasn't in charge of the tents, so they had a place to sleep. Despite the challenges, the night was one they would never forget.

The next morning, they packed their things and headed back to school. They quickly prepared their luggage for the trip to Hiroshima. After lunch, Taoka Moichi gathered the players again for a lecture.

"Sendoh! What is your dream?" he asked.

"Dream?" Sendoh thought seriously for a moment before responding, "Maybe just playing basketball and fishing, without any worries. I love fishing the most!"

Taoka Moichi wasn't pleased with that answer. "That's not what I'm asking!" he snapped, before turning to Kenichi Uesugi. "What about you?"

"I don't like fishing," Uesugi answered. "I don't have the patience. But I love eating fish. The fish Yuzumi grilled yesterday was amazing!"

Frustrated, Moichi turned to Yuzumi, hoping for a more appropriate answer. "My dream is to win the national championship!" Yuzumi replied seriously.

"That's right!" Moichi beamed. "This national competition isn't about top 8 or top 4! We're aiming for the national championship!" His voice was filled with determination. "We can't let our guard down. Every game must be played to the fullest! Understood?"

"Understood!" the team chorused.

Later that afternoon, after much anticipation, the Ryonan team finally boarded the train to Hiroshima. The journey, however, wasn't as exciting as Taoka Moichi had imagined. He looked around at the players, some of whom were sleeping, others laughing, and still others like Uesugi, who sat quietly by the window, lost in thought.

Despite his earlier enthusiasm, Moichi found himself quietly wondering whether Ryonan truly had what it takes to win it all. He glanced at the team again and felt a sense of reassurance. With these players by his side, he believed they had the potential to claim the championship.

Several hours later, they arrived at Hiroshima. After a restful night in the dormitory, they would attend the opening ceremony the next day. Immediately after that, the first round of the competition would begin.

The schedule for the competition was tight. With one game every day, the players would be under immense pressure. However, Ryonan had the advantage of a bye in the first round, allowing them an extra day of rest.

As they settled into their new environment, they began to learn more about the competition format. The number of teams from each region varied. For example, Kanagawa had two places every year, while Ryonan's region, Kyoto, had only one. Other regions, such as Tokyo, had as many as three spots. This uneven distribution of spots meant that 59 teams would participate in the competition, with five teams getting a bye in the first round.

Despite the favorable seed they had earned from last year's performance, Taoka Moichi knew that the path ahead would be no easy feat. Ryonan was placed in the tougher half of the draw, alongside teams like Hakata University of Commerce, Changcheng, and Meiho Industry, the latter of which was being touted as this year's dark horse.

After reviewing the matchups, Taoka Moichi addressed the team. "Our side of the bracket is tough, but we can't afford to take anything lightly. Every game will be a challenge. Stay focused and give it your all!"

The team nodded in agreement. However, after everyone left, Moichi couldn't shake the feeling of unease. The draw was even more difficult than he had expected.

That night, Taoka Moichi crumpled the match list and tossed it in the trash. "Seed spots are useless," he muttered. "It's all about how we play."

The next morning, the team attended the opening ceremony. The atmosphere was filled with excitement as 59 teams filed in, each representing their region. The two home teams from Hiroshima received loud cheers, but there was one team that truly captivated the audience—Sannoh High, the three-time defending champions. As they entered the arena, the crowd erupted in applause, with many standing in admiration.

Hikoichi, watching the spectacle, couldn't help but feel envious. "When will we get that kind of reception when we take the court?"

Taoka Moichi, walking ahead of him, smiled. "With strength, we'll earn that kind of respect. When we win the national championship, we'll be the ones the crowd cheers for."

To the team's surprise, when both Kainan and Ryonan appeared, the crowd erupted into applause. It seemed that many Kanagawa fans had made the trip to Hiroshima to support their teams, moving both Ryonan and Kainan players.

After the ceremony, Amu from Kainan approached Kenichi Uesugi with a smirk. "I heard your side of the bracket is under a lot of pressure. Don't go home before we do!" he teased.

Kenichi, smiling back, replied, "Don't worry, we won't fall before we meet you."

"It looks like we'll meet in the finals," Amu said.

"See you there," Kenichi replied confidently.

Though Ryonan and Kainan were fierce rivals in Kanagawa, they both hoped for each other's success on the national stage.

After parting with Maki, Taoka Moichi immediately led the Ryonan team to another basketball hall where the national competition's first round was set to begin. Toyotama High School was facing Uematsu Commercial, and the winner would go up against Ryonan in tomorrow's 32-to-16 match.

Taoka Moichi wanted the Ryonan team to watch the game so they could get familiar with their potential opponents. As they entered the hallway, Hikoichi, who was trailing behind, accidentally dropped his notebook. As he bent down to pick it up, he was suddenly knocked to the ground by someone rushing behind him.

"Hey, hey, hey! Little guy, don't block the way!" the person said, not even bothering to apologize. Hikoichi felt anger rise instantly. He stood up and prepared to confront the man, but then noticed the person was much taller than him. The man had long hair tied in a pigtail, looking like someone who wasn't easy to mess with.

The man with the pigtail noticed Hikoichi staring at him and seemed displeased. He extended a hand toward Hikoichi, saying, "What, little guy, you're still not convinced?" Just as his hand neared Hikoichi's neck, an arm appeared out of nowhere, pinching the pigtail man's wrist before swiftly shaking it off.

Hikoichi turned around to see Kenichi Uesugi, a look of relief on his face. "Hey! This little yellow-haired guy loves to meddle in other people's business!" he commented.

From behind the pigtail man, two more individuals emerged. They eyed Kenichi with contempt.

Though Hikoichi didn't recognize them, Kenichi was familiar with the two. They were the key players from Toyotama: Kishimoto Murori and Tsuyoshi Minami.

The moment they got closer, the two Toyotama players saw the tall figure of Yuzumi standing behind Kenichi. Realizing it would be unwise to escalate things further, they didn't press the matter.

Meanwhile, Toyotama's coach, Kanehira, called out from a distance, "What are you two doing there? Get ready!" With that, Tsuyoshi Minami and Kishimoto left with a sneer.

Taoka Moichi, who had been ahead of the group, arrived at the scene and asked what had happened. Kenichi explained the situation, and Taoka responded, "Humph! Those two really live up to their reputation for bad tempers."

"We have to be cautious if they are our opponents tomorrow," Kenichi added.

Afterward, Taoka Moichi led the team to watch Toyotama's match against Uematsu Commercial. From the start, Toyotama dominated the game. Their relentless fast-break and three-point shooting tactics overwhelmed Uematsu, leaving them unable to defend.

By halftime, Toyotama led by a commanding 72-30, and with the game looking decided, Taoka Moichi decided it was unnecessary to stay. He led the Ryonan team out of the basketball hall.

Later that evening, Taoka Moichi gathered the Ryonan players to watch a recording of Toyotama's previous game in Osaka. He analyzed the plays and emphasized key strategies to help the team prepare for the next day's match.

The next morning, Ryonan arrived at the venue, excited and ready to face Toyotama, as expected. Hikoichi, overhearing a conversation, found out that Toyotama had scored an astounding 160 points in the previous game, which had shocked many. He also learned that Kainan had easily won their first-round game.

Once Ryonan entered the locker room, Taoka Moichi went over last-minute preparations with the players as they changed into their uniforms. Meanwhile, the basketball hall was already packed with spectators, buzzing about the upcoming match.

"Today's game will definitely be exciting! Toyotama, who made it to the top eight last year, will face Ryonan, the champion of Kanagawa!"

"Yeah! Toyotama scored 160 points yesterday! I'm curious how many they'll rack up today!"

"Ryonan doesn't seem weak either. I heard they beat Kainan!"

"Wow, Kainan made it to the top four last year. Ryonan must be strong!"

"I'm still rooting for Toyotama. Their game was just too impressive!"

Soon, both teams emerged from their respective tunnels. Upon spotting Kenichi Uesugi and Hikoichi, Tsuyoshi Minami and Kishimoto recognized them from yesterday.

"Hey! Aren't those the little guy and the yellow-haired guy from yesterday? I didn't know they were from Ryonan!" Tsuyoshi Minami grinned.

"This should be a fun game!" Kishimoto smirked.

The warm-ups finished, and the starting players for both teams took to the court. Tsuyoshi Minami saw that Kenichi Uesugi was starting and feigned surprise. "I didn't expect you to be a starting player! I didn't think someone like you could even make the team!"

Kenichi Uesugi remained unshaken. He had no respect for players like Tsuyoshi Minami, who relied on cheap tricks when they couldn't win with skill.

"Beep!" The referee blew the whistle, signaling the start of the second-round national competition match between Ryonan and Toyotama.

Yuzumi and Toyotama's center, Iwata Mitsuaki, jumped for the opening tip-off. Yuzumi, being taller by 12 cm, easily won the ball and passed it to Uekusa. Uekusa, scanning the court, quickly passed it to the frontcourt where Kenichi Uesugi received the ball. He then passed it to Sendoh, who made a smooth layup, giving Ryonan a quick 2-0 lead.

"Wow! Ryonan looks impressive!" one of the spectators commented.

"They have a tall center, and their offense is flowing smoothly. They scored within seconds of the start!"

"This game is shaping up to be quite good!"

On the sidelines, Taoka Moichi wasn't pleased. His plan was to slow the pace and keep Toyotama from using their fast-break strategy, but Ryonan's quick attack was exactly what Toyotama wanted.

Sure enough, Toyotama wasted no time responding. They quickly pushed the ball up the court. Itakura Daijiro, with lightning speed, sprinted forward and, after being blocked by Uekusa, passed the ball to Kishimoto, who nailed a three-pointer from the left side.

"ABU!" the ball swished through the net.

"Wow! Toyotama's three-pointer is on target!" the crowd cheered.

"This is Toyotama's signature run-and-gun style! It's thrilling to watch!"

The game progressed with Toyotama continuing to use their quick breaks and deadly three-pointers. Ryonan, on the other hand, was trying to control the tempo by slowing down the pace, as per Taoka Moichi's plan. However, Toyotama was proving difficult to contain, as almost every player was capable of making three-pointers.

Meanwhile, the score kept getting closer, and despite Ryonan's defense, Toyotama's shooting accuracy was too much to handle.

"Ryonan can't keep up with Toyotama's fast game!" one spectator remarked.

But Ryonan wasn't going down without a fight. Kenichi Uesugi had received the ball from his teammate and, standing in his half, took a jump shot. Behind him, a green-haired figure floated up to make the play. "ABU!" The ball soared through the air and landed perfectly in the basket.